Make pool safety a priority

JAIME LUGIBIHL DISHMAN Correspondent

Tuesday

May 27, 2008 at 3:00 PM

Splashing in the pool and swimming under the sun practically screams summer in south Louisiana. Thereís no better way to cool off during a hot, humid day than by taking a quick dip in a pool having some fun.

But swimming can quickly turn dangerous when young children are involved. Year after year, young children drown in swimming pools during a lapse of supervision. Often, parents and caretakers were nearby. But even the most observant can be distracted for the few minutes it takes for a drowning to take place.

But drowning can happen quickly and silently. It takes only two minutes for the child to lose consciousness, and after four to six minutes, irreversible brain damage occurs, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

"You want to be safe, and I wouldnít have a pool in the yard without a fence," said Robert Dinger, owner of Dingerís Pool & Spa, 307 N. Hollywood Road, Houma. "Pools are made for fun, and one of the things that drives people to parties" is a pool.

Dinger added that when a child is around a pool they may be a bit afraid, but after a few minutes the fear is replaced with fun and excitement, which is usually when guards are left down and something may happen.

"Supervision is the No. 1 thing," he added. "Five minutes of unattended supervision could mean a lifetime of regret."

Though teaching your children about pool safety is a good first step to preventing pool-related tragedies, there are other steps you can take to ensure that a drowning does not take place in your pool.

As with all technology, pool-safety devices have advanced over the past years, offering pool owners dozens of options concerning safety. Even pool owners who do not have children should consider installing safety devices for their pool. Drownings of young children in pools often occur in the pool of a neighbor.

Dinger suggests it doesnít cost a lot more to be safe around a pool.

"Even though you may not need it (safety devices), thereís going to be one day youíre going to have some friends over and you are going to decide to have a swim party on the spur of the moment," Dinger said, adding that those small purchases could save lives.

Considering a safety device for your pool is a great first step to preventing an accidental drowning.

Pool alarms are one of the newest ways to detect an accidental drowning in your pool. These alarms, often mounted to the sides of the pool detect agitation in the water, which makes it a great aid to know if someone falls in your pool even if you are in the house or not near it.

One variety of the device, offered at Clearwater Pools, 6868 W. Park Ave., Houma, and 306 Jackson St., Thibodaux, in addition to similar devices sold at Dingerís, is initially set by filling up a five-gallon bucket of water and dropping it in the pool. The alarm is set to that sensitivity, which is about how much agitation a young child makes when they fall in the water.

"Basically, it replicates when a child falls in the water and what amount of waves they would makes in a still pool," said Brian Breerwood, store manager at Clearwaterís Houma store.

Breerwood said Clearwater also offers A-frame ladders with removable exteriors for above-ground pools. These ladders work by allowing pool owners to remove the exterior of the ladder and prohibit access to the pool when it is not in use.

Dinger, who opened Dingerís in 1999, said they donít install ladders when working on pool projects at customerís homes. He said his store also offers detachable ladders for above-ground pools.

For in-ground pools, Clearwater offers a removable fence that is made like a net, almost like a vinyl chain-link fence, Breerwood said.

"The little holes are too small for someone to grab onto," he said. "It is impossible to climb and if a child would run into it or something, they wouldnít be hurt."

"The No. 1 thing is a lock around the pool or a gate or fence around the pool," Dinger added.

He said one device thatís growing in popularity is a Turtle, which is a device you attach to a childís wrist and it sounds an alarm when it hits the water.

But although both stores offer many pool-safety items, Breerwood said only about four or five customers a year come in looking specifically for pool-safety devices.

"It definitely wouldnít hurt if more people came in to ask for it, butthe truth is, not many people do," he said.

And though weíve all heard pool-safety rules before, officials with the U.S. Product Safety Commission said the more times they are repeated, the more likely they are to be followed.

Here are a few of the Commissionís most important rules to swim by:

Instruct baby sitters about potential pool hazards to young children and about the use of protective devices, such as door alarms and latches. Emphasize the need for constant supervision.

Never leave a child unsupervised near a pool. During social gatherings at or near a pool, appoint a "designated watcher" to protect young children from pool accidents. Adults may take turns being the "watcher." Otherwise, adults may become pre-occupied and assume someone else is watching the children.

If a child is missing, check the pool first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability. Go to the edge of the pool and scan the entire pool, bottom and surface, as well as the pool area.

Do not allow a young child in the pool without an adult.

Do not consider young children to be drown-proof because they have had swimming lessons or are wearing a life jacket.

Do not use flotation devices, such as water wings, as a substitute for supervision.

Learn CPR. Baby sitters and other caretakers, such as grandparents and older siblings, also should know CPR.

Keep rescue equipment by the pool. Be sure a telephone is poolside with emergency numbers posted nearby

Remove toys from in and around the pool when it is not in use. Toys can attract young children to thepool.